“There is no one age target now, as age does not define this type of travel experience,” said Cece Drummond, managing director of Destinations & Experiences for Virtuoso.

According to Shannon Stowell, president of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the adventure travel category has risen from relative obscurity, with at least 80 percent of tourism boards now recognizing adventure as its own travel niche.

“Adventure is moving toward the mainstream, and the mainstream is moving toward adventure,” Stowell said.

The legitimization of adventure travel — which encompasses physical activity, a connection to nature and immersive cultural experiences — is due in large part to the increase in demand for it. Contributing factors include the rise in the activity levels of baby boomers, the proliferation of vacationers sharing brag-worthy adventures across social media, the softening of many types of adventure travel excursions by innovative tour operators and the growing ability to customize everything from trips to gear. Following are some of the most interesting forecasts from adventure travel experts predicted to occur within the coming year and beyond.